Palin must speak- for herself.

Until Sarah Palin submits to unscripted media interviews we'll never find out what she really thinks - or knows.

Until Gov. Palin actually displays the same kind of unvarnished courage Sen. Clinton did during the primary season and makes herself available to the media on a regular basis, she will remain little more than an enigma - a GOP caricature of historic proportions.

The entire debate over her 'vetting' by McCain is now a moot point. The real 'vetting procedure' American voters are rightfully entitled to see carried out is her unqualified consent to submit to honest, open and unscripted interviews.

They need to see how she performs on her own before November's fateful decision in upon them. Otherwise, Gov. Palin will remain little more than an empty vessel. One into which the Republican base will continue to pour all its partisan hype and drivel leaving the rest of us to wonder if she is truly qualified to sit one heart beat away from the Oval Office.

Failure on her part to engage the American people via the media will simply foster an environment of suspicion. Moreover, it will give ditch-dwelling partisan pundits an opening to cast all sorts of unfounded aspersions on her character. Better she were to give them real substance to assess. More importantly, it would ensure voters did not remain ignorant of not just her social policy positions, and her grasp on international affairs - it would leave them with a basis upon which to make an informed choice.

I call upon the GOP's Mesmer's and backroom Geppetto's to cut her strings in order to give her a chance to prove she is a fully articulated politician like Hillary. Jiminy McCricket may not wish to see this happen - but it is time. What's the worse that could happen? Surely, her nose will not grow?

After all, if one is running for the second highest office in the land they must, by default, be considered 'fair game' for one and all.

Time she anted up to the podium- after all this isn't some fairy tale. She's in the big show now.